The DP World Lions showcased their steeliness and ability in the shortest format to stun the Six Gun Grill Western Province and seal the CSA Women’s Provincial T20 Cup title in dramatic fashion on the last day of the season.
Proteas Women seamer Tumi Sekhukhune shone with an outstanding four-wicket haul as the Lions skittled Western Province out for 102 before a topsy-turvy chase saw the home side come out on top and lift the trophy with three balls to spare after needing 20 runs heading into the 19th over.
In the ultimate title decider taking place at the Orban Oval in Johannesburg, with the two sides separated by just one point on the T20 Cup log, the Lions won the toss and chose to bowl first. That decision looked a brilliant call as Province found themselves 18/3 in the fourth over, with Sekhukhune and the retiring captain Yolani Fourie (3/11) the main protagonists with the ball.
Despite starts from the WP middle-order, including an unbeaten 16* from Saarah Smith, the Cape Town side failed to recover as they lost wickets at regular intervals to succumb to 102 all out after 19.4 overs, with Sekhukhune finishing with impressive figures of four for 20 in her four overs.
In their chase, the Lions made a steady start through the experienced pair of Kirstie Thomson (34) and Sunette Viljoen-Louw (16), after losing young opener Jenna Evans (4) through a run out early on, as the Lions reached 57/1 before WP got themselves back into the game with crucial wickets.
Captain Leah Jones (2/8) delivered a superb spell to remove Thomson and Viljoen-Louw before Nosipho Vezi (1/13), Nadine de Klerk (1.17) and Robyn Appels (1/32) picked up a further three scalps while restricting the Lions to 88/6 after 18 overs.
With the match and the title getting away from the Lions, Fourie and Kgomotso Rapoo (14) took the game by the scruff of the neck as the latter hit the winning runs with three balls remaining to confirm the Lions as the 2022/23 T20 champions in front of family and friends.
In the other Division One games to wrap up the campaign, Proteas opener Tazmin Brits showed her class once again with another explosive half-century, smashing a 50-ball 82* (6 fours, 6 sixes) to lead the Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers to a six-wicket triumph over the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in Oudtshoorn.
Meanwhile, the Glencore North West Dragons had their South African international all-rounder, Anneke Bosch to thank as she blasted an aggressive match-winning 71* off 28 deliveries (10 fours, 4 sixes) to see the Potchefstroom-based outfit end the season with a morale-boosting, seven-wicket win over the Fidelity Titans.
Results:
CSA Women’s Provincial T20 Cup –
DP World Lions beat Six Gun Grill Western Province by 4 wickets.
Six Gun Grill Western Province: 102 all out after 19.4 overs; S. Smith 16 (19), S. Jafta 14 (14); T. Sekhukhune 4/20, Y. Fourie 3/11
DP World Lions: 105/6 after 19.3 overs; K. Thomson 34 (28), Y. Fourie 16 (8); L. Jones 2/8, N. Vezi 1/13
Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers beat the Hollywoodbets Dolphins by 6 wickets.
Hollywoodbets Dolphins: 127/6 after 20 overs; N. Shangase 59 (53), A. Candler 35 (43); P. Majambe 3/35, M. Andrews 1/7
Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers: 128/4 after 19.5 overs; T. Brits 82* (50), A. Nyovane 11 (21); A. Hlubi 2/14, K. Fisher 1/18
Glencore North West Dragons beat Fidelity Titans by 7 wickets.
Fidelity Titans: 112/3 after 20 overs; J. Searle 46 (55), E. Marx 26 (21); A. Erxleben 1/9, Y. Yekile
Glencore North West Dragons: 113/3 after 11.4 overs; A. Bosch 71* (28), A. Swart 22 (32); L. Madisha 1/16, J. Maswangane 1/16
Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
